


Minwu, Wild White Rose

by BlackBirdAolen



Category: Final Fantasy II
Genre: Emperor - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Machanon, Rebirth, alternative storyline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-15 06:25:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1294774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackBirdAolen/pseuds/BlackBirdAolen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fate has changed the path laid before Minwu, White Mage of the Wild Rose. Captured by the feared Emperor Palmecias, his destiny remains hidden in the mists of future. But hope is not yet lost...</p><p> </p><p>  <a href="http://ask.fm/BlackBirdAolen">Got a fanfic idea for me?</a><br/><a href="http://cheroshseiphar.deviantart.com/">My deviantART - full of original fiction.</a><br/><a href="http://blackbirdaolen.tumblr.com/">Snippets and ramblings on my tumblr.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Emperor's Clutch

Cold and darkness surrounded Minwu. The white mage had been captured and imprisoned by Emperor Palmecias before he could have broken the seal over Ultima, the ancient spell. Without the spell at the rebels' disposal, his hopes for an earlier end of the war had decreased significantly. If he just would be able to escape the prison, then he'd have another chance.

But all of his tries would be futile, and Minwu was aware of that. Palmecias had casted a powerful seal over the white mage's abilities, blocking them completely and making it impossible for Minwu to even use a weak Cure spell. Robbed of his magic like this, all the captured could do was waiting. And it was getting more and more unbearable for him.

Pulling his stained robes around him tightly, Minwu tried to recall how long he already had to be down here, locked up and powerless. He couldn't tell, the darkness around him was much too dense to allow any judgements on which day it might be. Besides, what good would it have done him? There was no way out of this cell.

Pulling his knees closer to his chest, Minwu tried to stay calm. It would do him no good if he panicked now, or tried to get out somehow without thinking it through before. What Palmecias wanted of him was a mystery to him, though. How could he have found out, anyways?

Taking a deep breath, he straightened up a bit. So, how could he find out what Palmecias had planned for him - if that would change anything about his current situation? One thing was for sure, he wouldn't escape Palmecias anytime soon. He couldn't put up a fight against the Emperor on his own. It was necessary to find himself allies. There surely had to be someone...

A low noise made the white mage flinch and look up. His cell door had been opened, one of the many guards standing in front of him now. Minwu shuddered, as he knew what that meant. Palmecias either had decided to finally execute him, or he wanted to humiliate the white mage.

Hanging his head, Minwu let the guard lead him to the throne room - or at least, he assumed so. They seemed to walk for an eternity, and eventually, the mage began staggering. A heavy, sweet scent filled his nose, making him pass out at some point. Most curiously, he didn't feel any pain as he collapsed on the floor...

The white mage only awoke as he felt long, slender fingers stroking his neck softly. A strange heavy blanket kept him from getting up, or so it felt. Minwu shuddered at the slight touch, his skin feeling much more sensitive than usually. A soft, unsteady moan escaped from his trembling lips, making the white mage feel weak and exposed. And from the chuckling, he could tell he was amusing Palmecias.

"Fascinating how sensitive you became. You should have inhaled this scent much sooner."

"W-What are you..."

"Be quiet, mage. Before you haven't proven your value, you are nothing but a slave to me."

Minwu bit his lip, afraid of talking now. If Palmecias was plotting what he assumed the Emperor was... then his life was destined to become Hell from the moment on Palmecias had decided to play with the white mage. Trembling beneath the long fingers, Minwu hoped it would be over soon.

For long minutes, seeming like an eternity to the white mage, Palmecias's hand retreated. Instead, the Emperor's lips pressed against Minwu's ear, making the already trembling male jerk in surprise.

"Tell me, Minwu, are you missing company? The feeling of someone close?"

"N-No..."

"Don't lie to me, you would love to feel someone upon you, someone taking care of you."

It had to be the effect of this omnious scent from before, otherwise Minwu never would have allowed anyone, especially not an other male, this close. Another moan escaped his lips, as Palmecias' hands found every last of his weakest, most sensitive points. If the other just would stop... just for one moment...

"Are you really this starved, Minwu? Are you lowering yourself that much?"

"No...!"

"Lying, too. I think I should teach you a lesson... but not now. No, it will come later, much later."

"Please, I beg of you, stop!"

"Mmm, how sweet that sounds. But I am afraid I can't let you off the hook anytime soon."

The slender hand sneaked beneath Minwu's robes, brushing against bare skin and exploring, exploiting the body beneath the once unstained white fabric. The white mage whimpered, shaking his head as tears began welling up in his eyes. He prayed Palmecias wouldn't go any further, wouldn't do what he feared so much...

A low chuckling flowed from Palmecias's lips, accompanied by an obscene licking along the shell of Minwu's ear. The white mage froze, a heavy shuddering wandering through his body and embracing his nether regions with syrupy heat. Only moments after that sensation, the Emperor's hand was cupping him, feeling him through the fabric.

"You are happy about the attention I give you, aren't you."

"P-Please, no..."

"Protesting is useless, mage. I will take what I want, and what I need."

Once more, Palmecias's tongue crawled along Minwu's ear, the same hot, syrupy sensation engorging the white mage's groin once more. The more Minwu wailed and protested, the more persistent those obscene touches and sensations became. At some point, the white mage simply couldn't hold back any longer and allowed himself to release.

Deeply humiliated, Minwu laid on top of the Emperor's bed, powerless beneath the other male's touches. Silvery hair spilled over his shoulders and face as Palmecias leaned close, a triumphant smirk on his face. He knew that with this defeat, he had lost this personal war against Palmecias. And there was no way to ever make it undone.

 


	2. An Eternal Battle

After the incident in the Emperor's room, Minwu was allowed to wander around the castle. The seal, though, still kept him from casting the smallest spells, and with his partly torn robes, he felt like... what? He couldn't even describe the feeling weighing down on him this heavily.

Readjusting the belt keeping his robes in place, Minwu stepped into a room seeming to contain nothing. Only as his eyes grew accustomed to the strange lighting, he understood what he had come to. A library, here in the tyrant's castle? Well, Palmecias wasn't a dull man, so it wasn't a this big surprise the Emperor had to have at least some books he had gotten his knowledge from. But Minwu certainly wouldn't have thought the library would be like that.

Even when there were no windows, and pretty low temperatures, Minwu didn't feel cold like he would have in the snow. His breath might was coming out in dense, white clouds, but that didn't change the fact he felt comfortable in this room. Books gave him a strange sense of safety, of something he could call a home.

Wandering along the shelves, Minwu soon noticed a smaller part of the library, a bit more secluded. There, some especially interesting books seemed to have been stored. Careful to not damage any of them, Minwu pulled out a smaller tome, staring at the title for some time.

_Balance Of Light And Darkness - How The Powers Maintain Peace_

A bit bewildered, the white mage took a sit, opening the book to study the first few pages. As it seemed, Palmecias had thought about the classical, never ending struggle between light and darkness. Minwu grew a bit skeptical about the true meaning of this book. It couldn't be an instruction on how to unbalance what maintained peace, right?

But there it was, a record of all the visible battles between light and darkness having taken place over the centuries and millenniums. Names of the dark and the light side, of heroes and villains... Minwu shuddered lightly as he brushed his fingertips against a page with the description of one of the few having know both sides just too well.

"Cyril, Dark Knight and then Paladin... Destined to save the world from the invasion of darkness..."

Why was he feeling such an awe for Cyril? There seemed to be more about this man than just being a warrior torn between two sides. There were so many stories never to be voiced or written down, never to be fully understood. And maybe, maybe it was still going on.

Minwu pulled his robes tightly around himself, being lost in thoughts. He felt like a bird in a golden cage - surrounded by luxury (relatively seen), but never able to really enjoy it. Knowing he highly likely wouldn't escape from the fortress, he would have to arrange with everything, somehow. Even if it would get difficult.

He heard a low noise from between the shelves, making him look up. The Dark Knight had stepped close, watching him from beneath the black helmet. Minwu never had seen his face; he didn't know who it was, and why he was here. Had Palmecias enslaved someone, like most of his guards? They didn't even seem to be human...

For a long time, the other male just stood there, turned towards Minwu and not saying anything. Whatever he was intending to do, or what business he had here, was a mystery to the white mage.

After a while, Minwu looked down on the book again, starting to wonder. What if even in this Dark Knight a good core still was existing? There had to be a way to awaken it, to make darkness become light, and create a new Paladin in the course. The idea appealed to Minwu, albeit he didn't know how that possibly would have happened.

He put the book back into the shelf, brushing along the leather as he searched for an other title. Only the rustling of his robes was to be heard, until...

"I can't understand why the Emperor has chosen you to be his personal entertainer."

"Excuse me?"

Minwu had straightened up, brows creased in slight anger. What had this Dark Knight just said? Palmecias couldn't do as he pleased and make him into a toy!

"You know what I said. I'm not repeating it for you."

Strange how deep and hollow the knight's voice sounded. Was it because of the helmet, or for an entirely different reason?

_'Palmecias must have slipped something into this man's mind. I can't imagine he is wearing this armor out of free will.'_

There was something about the other making Minwu wonder. Assuming Palmecias had really made him a marionette, why was there no sign of any possession? Mind control was something very similar to possession, and usually, there were tell-tale signs giving away what was happening in the cursed person's mind.

But there was nothing hinting anything like this on the Dark Knight before him. And if Minwu recalled correctly, there had been occasions the controlled person merely had been seduced with meaningless promises, strong enough to cloud reason and emotions.

_'I wonder what has happened to this man. Why am I sensing something familiar on him?'_

Focusing, Minwu tried to remember where he had felt something like that before. And then, it came back to him. Firion, lying in the magic circle, radiating pure will to fight for his life. The same spirit gleamed inside the Dark Knight, and now, Minwu was sure.

_'While we are standing here, this man has his personal war. His light against his darkness. And up to now, there's no winner.'_

Shuddering lightly at the thought, the white mage merely pulled out another book (about the history of white spells), but he was no longer able to focus. Whoever was caught inside the black steel of the Dark Knight armor... he would help him to free himself from the Emperor's grip.

Though, there remained an important question. How would he be able to help this man? And what would happen if the other didn't want any help? Darkness not always had to be something bad. In fact, darkness itself was as good as light, just as light could become as bad and rotten as darkness. And used the right way, even darkness healed the world's wounds inflicted by evil forces.

Smiling to himself, Minwu sunk back in the chair, thoughtfully looking up at the ceiling. Why was he considering all of this?

_'It could be a way out of this castle. It's not yet too late to help the Wild Rose.'_

Ultima still could be released from the seal placed upon it, even if it would cost him his life. No matter how strong he would ever be as white mage, how powerful his spells and spirit, there was no chance to ever survive the backlash of magic resulting from the breaking of the seal. And Minwu knew that well enough.

He often had seen it coming. How he lifted the spell, dying in the course as it absorbed all of his powers. Magic, spirit, life, everything would be consumed by the powerful spell surrounding the ultimate white magic. But it was for helping light against darkness. If one of these sides ever would win (darkness had been dangerously close to that much more often), the world would end in chaos... and maybe never be reborn again.

_'No matter how high the price... this battle must go on. What would be left to mourn over, should darkness swallow us all? For this... I'll gladly give myself up. It's not too late to join the fight. Palmecias won't stop me forever, and as soon as I'm free, I'll go to the tower. Firion, Maria and Guy are counting on me. And so is light.'_


	3. The Man Beneath The Black Armor

After another humiliating night in the Emperor's presence, Minwu wasn't too sure if his plan really would work out. Palmecias did everything to humiliate him in any respect, and it slowly, but surely, wore his self-esteem out. He had thought it would be easy to resist the white-haired male, but he had to find out Palmecias must have had more than just a little practice.

As he was slowly pacing through the corridors, Minwu wondered if he could find a secret passage to get out of the fortress. Or how did Palmecias's servants even come and leave? Maybe there was more to it, though, as the Emperor was building an air ship fleet, so it could be even that.

'If I just had any clue what the Emperor is planning. I have a bad feeling about all of this. There's such a gloomy feeling hanging all over the place, and it gets worse with every day.'

Indeed, the suffocating presence of the Emperor seemed to slowly, but steadily spread throughout the whole fortress. It had something overly threatening about it, much more than any of the countless monsters having flooded the world ever could emit. Minwu shuddered as he thought about the possibility... no, it couldn't be!

Leaning against a wall, he tried to calm himself down. As he had pleased the Emperor (much against his will), he had been given new robes, which he was thankful for. But if Palmecias taunted him like that, he always felt helpless, and the now spreading darkness in the castle didn't help it at all.

As he strode along the empty corridors, he suddenly ran into the Dark Knight. Gulping lightly, Minwu backed away from the strange man, but to his surprise, the other male got a hold on him and kept him locked in a tight grip.

“You stay right here. I'm sick of it.”

“P-Pardon me? What are you sick of?”

“Shut up, mage. You know damned well what I am talking about.”

“No, I don't know! Let me go!”

“Oh, and what will you do if I don't? What should a white mage without his powers do against a Dark Knight?”

Minwu went slack in the other male's grip. Of course... He never had been the type to use physical violence, and ever since his powers had been sealed, he had been exposed to anyone wanting to do him harm. Whatever other males had wanted from him... he had been defenseless, in no position to deny their demands.

“Lost your spirit already, huh?”

Minwu bit his lower lip, not liking this development. He wanted to get away, but at the same time, he didn't know where to go without running into one of the many allies Palmecias had joined in this fortress. Groaning in pain, he let the Dark Knight pin him to the ice cold stone wall.

Trembling, he had to acknowledge that the hard grip on his wrists didn't become any lighter with his actions. On the contrary, the leather gloved hands clenched even tighter around his already bruising wrists.

“Let go of me!”

“Ah, found your spirit again, huh?”

The Dark Knight chuckled, and for a moment, Minwu had the impression of catching a glimpse on the strange male's soul. There was something decidedly similar to Firion. This life force, overflowing and bright, never to be beaten, however close death was sneaking up on him. What was it that connected the Dark Knight with Firion?

'I remember them asking for a certain male. Leon, wasn't it? But, could it be he has fallen in the Emperor's grasp like this? That would be horrible... if they ever met the Dark Knight, what would they do?'

As Minwu didn't show any signs of struggling, even when being assaulted like that and not being given too much room, the Dark Knight seemed to grow bored of his little game.

“You are no longer fun. I even ask myself why the Emperor even considers to pick you, out of all the toys he could get himself.”

“That's none of your concern, is it?”

“What, are you becoming proud of being nothing but a thing to entertain him? You are even more pathetic than I thought.”

“I'm not proud about it!”

Minwu glared at the Dark Knight, again having the feeling he could catch bits and pieces of the other male's thoughts and memories. What was this strange bond he felt? Not necessarily to himself, but rather to someone he knew. Was it really Firion this knight remembered him of?

The longer he thought about it, the more absurd the thought seemed to grow. This Dark Knight, related with Firion? Firion wouldn't have given in to darkness that easily (even if Minwu didn't know about how this man became what he was now), nor would he let himself getting wrapped up in false promises. Something must have gone wrong with the Dark Knight in front of him...

It was as if he could feel the knight's feelings well up from between the black steel plates, seeping into him drop by drop.

“You don't have to obey the Emperor.”

“What was that?”

“I said you have a free will. You can go wherever you like. You don't have to listen to Palmecias.”

“And just why should I abandon my Master?”

Minwu hesitated for a moment. This man sounded reasonable, not possessed in any way. Maybe Palmecias had just lured him into this with promises, or maybe, he had found the dark core in this man's heart. Just like everyone had a light core, there was a twin core made of darkness, reacting to the influence from the outside. Everyone could fall for either side, and the white mage himself was no exception.

Maybe this was the reason why he refused to learn the spells of black magic. Maybe he was afraid from the darkness inside of him. Of the possibility he could fall into the shadows' embrace.

“Did you fall asleep now or what?”

The grip on him tightened again, pulling the white mage back to reality. He had to get the Dark Knight to talk. That was the only possibility to find out whatever had happened to this man.

“As you can see, I am very much awake.”

“Oh, getting sarcastic?”

Minwu ignored the amused chuckling, still trying to make sense of his impression on the other. What on Earth was wrong with the other male? There was something so decidedly off about him, it was almost screaming for attention. But the white mage didn't get what exactly it was.

“Or not... you're weird, mage. None I want to bother with.”

Finally, the white mage was released, albeit he wasn't entirely happy with that, either. What was happening here? Why did it all have to be so... complicated?

'There must be a way to find out what happened, and who this man is. I'm not resting before I finally have an answer.'

Looking after the Dark Knight, Minwu waited until he was alone again. The man beneath the black steel plates... who was this person?


	4. Inner Conflict

Worries started to haunt every single of Minwu's steps. He watched how the imperial air ship fleet was growing with every day, how the monsters creeping all over the world were shrouding it in darkness. Here and there, there were light moments, where the rebels could fight off the hordes coming from the gates of the Jade Passage. But the longer it lasted, the more it seemed for naught to struggle against them.

Pulling his robes more tightly around him, the white mage tried to calm his heartbeat down, tried to soothe his own worries. But it was useless, they always welled up again, made him shudder with the cold following him like the worries clinging to him like a heavy, cold blanket.

Not able to endure the sight of the world falling more and more into the clutch of darkness, while light was struggling this heavily, Minwu turned his head away, slowly going down the corridor and trying to get the images out of his head. Of the people fleeing from the flames of war, igniting every last village of this world and leaving a trail of pure destruction behind. Many cities already had been fully occupied by the Emperor, and with every day passing, the world was taken over further.

_'If I just could get away from here. If I just were able to flee from this fortress, and go to the tower. I have to unseal Ultima, unleash it's power. But...'_

The white mage hesitated, stopping in the middle of the corridor. He couldn't. If he broke the seal, he would die. There was no way anything would change this fact. His sacrifice for breaking the seal was necessary, absolutely necessary, if he wanted the rebels to take Ultima as their ultimate weapon. He couldn't act this selfishly to do something like... taking Ultima for himself.

With a sudden shudder, the white mage understood. He understood the reasons for those men to follow the Emperor's very word, why they would listen to him like to a deity. He had promised them what they _truly_ desired, what their hearts yearned for. No matter how selfish their wishes might have been, he had promised them everything.

Like this, he had lured the man in this black armor into his reign. Like this, he had pulled this many on his side. Like this, he had been able to unleash Hell upon the world.

This sudden thought hit Minwu like a punch in his stomach. He grew pale, shuddering and feeling weak in his knees. If... if Palmecias found out about **his** wish, what would keep the sinister Emperor from seducing even the white mage to be his servant?

_'C-Calm down, Minwu... I have to calm down now... He couldn't know what this little wish of mine is, what this... impossible craving is. No, it's not even a craving, no!'_

For a moment, Minwu wondered if he hadn't just been screaming in frustration. Shuddering about himself, the white mage rubbed over his face, wiping off cold sweat. The constant exposition to the Emperor's presence was driving him to this point, of that he was sure. That wasn't good, absolutely not good.

Taking a shuddering breath, the white mage tried to regain his control over himself. If he panicked now, he would be dragged right into the dark power of Palmecias. Something he had to avoid at any cost. Absentmindedly, he tried to cast a Cure spell on himself – and to his surprise, he could feel the soft tingle of the magic granting him new power.

Staring down on his hands, Minwu needed quite some time before realizing the seal Palmecias had placed over him had been broken.

_'But... how is that possible? He used a this strong spell, I shouldn't be able to fight against it!'_

Then, an other thought occurred to him. What if Palmecias would have needed to refresh the spell over and over again? It had been a while since the Emperor had called for the white mage, mostly because Palmecias seemed to be occupied with planning how to take over the small rest of the world not yet having fallen into darkness.

Shuddering again, but this time in excitement, Minwu slowly walked along the corridor. He had to watch out now... if he ran into one of Palmecias's servants, the whole thing could end ugly. But if he watched out, then it was possible for him to escape the fortress, finally!

Though, the white mage stopped in his tracks again. What would happen to the Dark Knight? He still hadn't found out who this man was. He merely had a suspicion who it could be, but there was nothing hinting he was right. If he left now, he never would find out who it was.

Curiosity conflicted with the urge to get out of this cursed fortress, out of the grasp of the Emperor, to continue the path having been laid before him by destiny itself. Minwu leaned back against a cold stone wall, fighting with himself.

He could just go and not care about anything else but to break the seal. Then, he would die, and no longer take any influence on the happenings in the world. Or so, the white mage thought. In his belief, there was nothing after death. Maybe before life, but certainly not after death.

But he had a chance now to help the Dark Knight to come back to senses again. Just a small, maybe even ridiculous chance, but it was there. If he could convince the Dark Knight to no longer listen to the Emperor alone, but to his own conscience again, then the charm of Palmecias's cause could be broken.

And still, it was something making Minwu doubt himself, his abilities as a white mage.

_'What if there is a spell over him? A spell having made him forget about anything? There would be no way for me to get through to his rationality, if he has fallen under a curse.'_

Indecisively, his hands clenched and unclenched. If he didn't try it, then he would be cursing himself for the rest of his life. If he tried it and failed, he would do the same. But if he tried, and succeeded, then he would be glad he had done it.

Nodding to himself, the white mage took a deep breath. So it was decided, then. He would at least try to get the Dark Knight to think for himself again, to act according to his morals, not obeying the word of the Emperor. With some luck, Minwu would be able to remember the Dark Knight of his light core, which had been swallowed by the dark twin.

A small rest of doubt, however, couldn't be completely fought off. There were so many details in this which could cause all of his plan to go wrong. It wasn't much of a plan to begin with, and if he failed to have a calm talk with the Dark Knight, uninhibited by any other servant or maybe even by the Emperor himself, then there was no chance for Minwu.

With a sudden feeling of anger, Minwu pushed himself off the wall. Why was he even hesitating any longer? That wasn't like him. He couldn't let his worries keep him from acting, he had to do something, _anything_ , against Palmecias's power. And if it meant to just snatch one of his best servants out of the Emperor's grasp. That already would mean something, it would be a symbol, a sign of resistance, even now.

Taking a deep breath, Minwu calmed himself down again. If he got overly excited now, he just would step right into his doom. He had to be cautious, and shouldn't allow anyone to start getting suspicious over him. The danger coming from being overly excited was a huge one, not to be overseen, in fact.

So, as he came to another window, he stopped in his tracks and watched the sky. Thick clouds covered it, but here and there, light was coming through the blanket of black having been wrapped around the world. Without really noticing it, Minwu was smiling to himself. There was hope, as much as the Emperor tried to extinct it.

_'Hold on for some time longer. I will release the Dark Knight from Palmecias, and then, I will fulfill my destiny. Then, you will get Ultima, Firion. Please... let it be the world's salvation.'_


	5. Meditation

Since the seal had broken and his powers slowly, but surely came back to him, Minwu was acting more composed and calm. Palmecias hadn't bothered to reinforce the spell, so he was safe for now. Or so, the white mage assumed. Hopefully, the Emperor would forget about ever using it again.

He had found a quiet room, uninhibited by any of the shady men lurking all over the fortress. Sighing softly to himself, he sat down on the floor, ignoring the cold immediately seeping into his body and bones, crossing his legs and closing his eyes.

One by one, the noises around him seemed to die out as Minwu slowly sank into a more relaxed state. His thoughts began to calm down, along with his whole body. It had been so long he truly had been relaxed, without worries about anything. Ever since the war had begun, he constantly had been nervous, even if it never had shown.

Minwu didn't see that the Dark Knight was leaning in the door, watching the white mage intently. Beneath the helmet, the male most possibly was wondering. What was the white mage doing there? Was it some kind of ritual? Hardly... he couldn't imagine that the seal of the Emperor on the white mage's abilities could have broken. And still, there _was_ a way. Of that, he was convinced. How else could a sliver of his conscience have woken up again?

_'Master Palmecias wouldn't allow the white mage to be free like this for a long time. But if he hasn't noticed it up to now, he must be occupied with our allies. They are troublesome at times... but most sadly, they are what will guarantee our final victory.'_

The rebels had shown extraordinary cunning when fighting against the imperial armies. Despite having been fought back to a quite small area, they were keeping up their resistance. Even without _Ultima_ , the rebels didn't stop **fighting** , as strange as it was. Why didn't they see they were losing a war destined to be the Emperor's victorious claim of world domination?

_'Whatever is giving them strength, it is not related to the white mage. Otherwise, they would have lost their will long ago.'_

More and more confused, the Dark Knight approached the white mage having fallen so silent. Squatting in front of the unmoving male, he took a long look at the mage's face, mostly hidden by a pure white cloth.

Minwu's eyes were closed, the extraordinarily long eyelashes hanging heavily down. The mage had some feminine features, visible even when the white cloth was hiding most of them. If he wasn't mistaken, he could hear the white mage mutter something. It sounded like a language from an other world, similar to the one the Emperor used for his most devastating incantations. Strange indeed... it sounded much more... _peaceful_.

Curious how strong the urge got to touch this serene face. He reached out, but hesitated, the black glove only split inches away from Minwu's skin. No, he couldn't do that. Not yet. But...

“Is there something I can do for you?”

The Dark Knight almost lot his balance as Minwu suddenly opened his eyes. He looked still all dreamy, as if he just had awoken from a refreshing slumber. Something shimmered in the white mage's eyes – or was it just an illusion? - before he seemed to finally arrive in reality again.

“No... no, there is nothing...”

“Then why are you here? Usually, people come to me when they have worries, when they feel like they have to talk to someone.”

Again, the Dark Knight hesitated. That never had happened. He never hesitated to carry out the Emperor's orders, to do what Palmecias declared as inevitable and obligatory to do. But here, here he hesitated. He constantly hesitated in presence of Minwu.

“Well?”

“I don't have anything to talk about.”

He looked away from those honest, dark eyes, from the strange serene radiance coming from the white mage. The Dark Knight felt uncomfortable, and at the same time, there was something in the back of his mind not stopping to bother him.

_'I still don't know **who** I am. Palmecias always evades this question. He claims he found me in the woods, severely wounded by the rebels. But that can't be... I remember the horsemen. I remember their blades, how they...'_

“Look at me, **Leon**.”

A strong jolt made the Dark Knight flinch, and he cowered in front of the white mage. What had that been?! How had the white mage called him...? Leon? Was that his name?

“Leon, look at me. I'm not trying to harm you. Please, let me help you. You have to look at me.”

Only slowly, the Dark Knight could straighten up again. _Leon_... it had a familiar ring about it. Strange how logical it sounded, how... how... He hadn't got a word for it.

“Palmecias confused your mind. I will help you to recover. Trust me.”

How to not trust such a gentle voice and demeanor? The Dark Knight nodded slowly, scooting closer and allowing Minwu to take off his helmet. Dark blue hair and a rugged face were uncovered, and soon cupped by gentle hands meant to soothe and assure.

“Close your eyes and focus. Focus on your name, Leon. It's the most precious thing you have now.”

“How can I trust you?”

He just had to ask. Something inside of him refused to fully believe Minwu, out of what reason ever. He was doubtful, he knew that, but better doubting one time more than to die from an ambush.

“You can only trust yourself, Leon.”

A wise answer, and the Dark Knight decided to fully trust Minwu. He closed his eyes, let go off his nervousness, and allowed the white mage to reach into his mind.

After some time, he felt how his body began to become _lighter_ , without any magic being worked on him. Was that what the white mage had done earlier? Making his own body feel lighter, his spirit free and his soul able to reach out to others? A good way to escape the cold reality of the fortress, he had to admit...

“ _There_.”

Leon sighed softly and sank into Minwu's lap, and the white mage covered the unconscious male with his cloak. A gentle smile, hidden by white cloth, reaching up to his eyes and into his whole body.

Sometimes, it was easier to just wait and let destiny work for you.


	6. Tenderness

Leon was positively upset after having come back to his senses. Had he really betrayed the ones he loved? Had he done what those horrible memories told him he had done? And all because Palmecias promised him things... He couldn't even go on. No, that was absolutely impossible. It couldn't be!

The former servant of Palmecias hid beneath the armor again, acted as if nothing had happened. But any time he was alone, or just with Minwu, the true man behind the cold helmet emerged, and tried to cope with the knowledge of his deeds.

Minwu found him caught in desperation, and the white mage sighed about what the dark knight accused himself of. It was true that what Leon had done could be seen as betrayal, but in Minwu's opinion, Leon hadn't had any other choice but to bow to the Emperor's influence. The blue-haired male's life had been at the brink of death, only so much away from ending...

“Leon, look at me. _Please_. I want to help you.”

Only slowly, the taller male met the white mage's intent look, giving away how desperate he was. He wanted to say something, but Minwu laid his finger on the trembling male's lips and shook his head.

“Don't talk. Just... let your heart come to a rest at first. You are confused, and that won't do you any good.”

Leon bowed his head again, after some time feeling Minwu's arms being wrapped around him gently. He thought about what the white mage had to endure, about the humiliation done to the so gentle male. Had Minwu deserved **any** of it? No, surely not. But still, Minwu bore this weight with what seemed to be ease.

Silence fell around them, and after a while, Leon dared to look up at the white mage. Minwu was meeting his look without any signs of shyness or discomfort. Many had averted their eyes when having been confronted with the dark knight, but not this mage. And that was something confusing Leon.

Even more, as now, the smaller male lifted his hand to the cloth covering most of his face and slowly pulled it down. Leon's eyes widened, and a blush spread on his face. What was uncovered there was the most entrancing face he ever had seen. How could Minwu look this serene, despite everything having happened to him?

The hands lifted higher, pulled off the white turban. Ebony hair was bared, short and shimmering in the dim light of the castle. From the outside, barely anything was coming. Most of the light in the fortress was provided by torches, or any other light sources.

“W-What...”

“Don't talk now, Leon. I want to... show you that you are _not_ , as you believe, despised. Many are looking for you still, hoping that you are alive and well-faring.”

Minwu looked strangely vulnerable without the white fabric hiding most of his head. Leon couldn't resist to reach out and slowly trail those tender lips with his fingertips. The white mage closed his eyes and just let him touch the soft skin.

After a while, Leon's hands cupped Minwu's face, drawing the white mage a bit closer. Without giving the other male any resistance, Minwu let it happen, even as he was leaning against the muscular chest. He looked up at Leon, who seemed to be lost in thoughts and just needed someone to hold close.

Smiling to himself, Minwu nuzzled his head into the crook of Leon's neck. He could imagine that the blue-haired male was still torn between accusing himself for having done all of this and wanting to kill Palmecias with his bare hands for having wrapped him up in all of those lies in the first place. But that was something he only would be able to do with the help of the other rebels.

_'So it begins anew, the battle between light and darkness. Not only in the world, but in every single one of us. The rebels have sworn to be loyal to the light, while the Emperor and his allies will always be true to darkness. Who will win this war? None of us can say it with certainty. Once fate decided, it will lead the chosen one.'_

Minwu flinched softly as Leon moved again, this time tilting the white mage's head back a little. This softly and almost shyly Minwu had to chuckle.

“Don't worry, I'm not breaking apart if you get a little more forceful.”

That made Leon blush to his ears, but it wasn't enough to make the blue-haired male stop. With new boldness, he pulled the white mage's face closer and then kissed Minwu. The dark knight could barely believe how soft those lips were, but he loved their touch, and how they seemed to melt against each other.

For a short time, he was coming to his senses again, blushing softly.

“I-I'm sorry, Minwu, I didn't...”

“You wanted to do that, didn't you. Don't worry, I don't bother. It's... nice to be appreciated in an other way than... than the Emperor does.”

Leon hugged Minwu close, even cradling the white mage softly. He had heard about what Palmecias did to the white mage, but up to now, he hadn't been able to fully believe it. Seeing Minwu shuddering and _vulnerable_ like this, however, let him understand what the smaller male had gone through.

In the circle of arms around him, Minwu felt like he could let go of the horror he had gone through; leaning against Leon now was much more important. He felt the muscular chest rising and falling slowly with the rhythm of Leon's breath, and how the other seemed to try and find words.

_'You don't have to pity me, Leon. You don't have to. And... please don't grow too attached to me. I soon will have to sacrifice myself, for the better of many.'_

But until then... Minwu would enjoy the closeness. Without rough hands, without hurting words. With just this tenderness and the affection the blue-haired knight showed towards him.


	7. A Silent Night

It was set, then. They had to escape the fortress, in order to retrieve the tome _Ultima_. But Leon didn't see how they would be able to get out of the giant castle. The dark knight wasn't doubting in Minwu's abilities, he rather knew how the Emperor reacted to anyone trying to escape his clutch.

In the weak light of the many torches, he slowly paced towards Minwu's small room, knocking hesitantly against the wooden door. He didn't even dare to call out for the white mage, afraid anyone would hear him.

The door opened, and Leon sneaked into the room. Minwu looked a bit tense, but not more. The blue-haired male wanted to say something, but the white mage merely placed his fingers on Leon's lips and shook his head.

In this night, none of them would utter a word.

The white mage had nothing to take with him. There had been gifts the Emperor had given him, but what did that mean? The only thing Minwu had picked was a small, blue object. A tear-shaped blue stone, looking like jade from the heart of the oceans. This had been a gift from his teacher back in his home, and a silent tear dripped into the cloth covering Minwu's mouth.

_'I remember what you told me about my fate. I understand now... I understand how my heritage will help others, even if I no longer am.'_

Turning towards Leon, the gem hidden away in the fabric of his robes, he nodded at the dark knight. It was time to leave the fortress and their mutual fear behind. They at least had to **try** to get out of this horror. Any other way, they would just be able to wait and see how the world was consumed by poison and shadows.

A torch was their only source of light in this dark labyrinth of a castle. Minwu kept close to Leon, who wasn't liking the whole development at all. It was much too silent for his own likings, almost as if a predator was close and had chased off all of the prey.

Both shuddered at the cold creeping up on them. What was this feeling of suffocation keeping them anxious and jumpy? Was it one more of the Emperor's illusions he had woven around his unwilling servants? Or was it just their vivid imagination?

Curiously, they didn't find any guards. Had Palmecias made them all leave their posts?

_'As if he is daring us to leave the castle. He locked us up for this long... and now, he is opening the door, just to mock us and see if we dare to leave the security of this fortress. Outside, all possible creatures could lurk. But what is that, compared what has gathered in here?'_

Minwu softly touched Leon's arm, and the blue-haired male nodded slowly. They couldn't hesitate now. Not when being this close to freedom they could already taste it. The cold, fresh air of the night was brushing against their faces, coaxing them to come and look for the source. But too many traps lurked in this fortress... too many dangerous places to be caught in...

Still silent, they followed the corridor, feeling haunted by countless eyes and watched. A most horrible feeling, as if they were stalked by the Emperor's loyal guards. Minwu felt his chest aching, knowing that something wanted to warn him. Something in this fortress was completely wrong, as the Emperor never would have offered them the possibility to just flee.

_'But what if he is? We both don't know what Palmecias talked to his allies about. Maybe they have developed a new plan? I hope not... I really hope that it's not what I think.'_

Pulling his robes more tightly around himself, the white mage pushed aside his worries and the cold creeping up on him. It was not the time to worry about every single step and to doubt their success in fleeing this place.

He nudged Leon on, gently, assuring the blue-haired male they were going to be alright. He didn't worry about the monster might coming for them, nor for the Emperor's forces, which most possibly would soon set out to the last, ultimate fight against the rebels. No, there was no place for such thoughts now. It had to happen, just like this.

A weak shimmer of light caught Minwu's attention, and for some time, they both froze in the middle of the corridor. Still, there was none of the guards to be seen, none of them coming for them to recapture them and lock them in the most rotten cells in the bowels of the fortress. No, this time... it was alright. Everything was okay.

And finally, they were outside. Above them, the fortress loomed into the sky, but they now stood on a narrow mountain path. Still keeping their silence, they began climbing down the path, winding down in serpentine after serpentine. Sometimes, Leon had to stop to help Minwu a bit, as the smaller male was a bit more feeble, but they could make good progress.

By the end of the night, as the few patches of sky visible through the dark clouds started to become brighter, they had reached the desert at the foot of the mountain. To their surprise, some chocobos were lazily grazing in a tiny patch of grass just around the mountain.

Smiling at each other, they cautiously came closer, just to realize the chocobos seemed to have been waiting for them. Mounting them easily, the two males soon were rushing through the desert, past any threat which would have come for them. They would need to go to Mysidia... the town of magic. And close by, the tower with the sealed tome would be reaching into the sky.


	8. Mysidia And The Rebels

Mysidia, the home of magic and wisdom.

Minwu felt like it had been a little eternity since he had left the town to serve others... and yet, he had been back in the blink of an eye. Barely anything had changed, and somehow, the white mage was grateful for that. In such restless days, a piece of something constant was unbelievably soothing and reassuring.

Leon felt out of place in the small town. None of the mages seemed to mind him, though he still had the feeling he wasn't quite right here. However, he surely didn't want to be **anywhere** else at this moment. Around them, the mages whispered about something, maybe the newest rumors, and as they listened more closely...

“Is it true you found them in the woods around the tower?”

“Yes, it's true. I don't know what might have happened to them...”

“They **are** those famous rebels of the Wild Rose, aren't they?”

Leon cringed at those words, turning towards the whispering mages. He just had to find out if they were talking about who he thought they talked.

“Excuse me... you aren't, by any chance, talking about... Firion, Maria, and Guy?”

The mages merely nodded, seeming to be confused a bit about Leon's ignorance of the many tales already being told about the three rebels. The blue-haired male staggered a bit, feeling a horrible pain in his chest.

“Where can I find them?”

The mage pointed to the inn of the small town, then nodded at Minwu having appeared at the blue-haired male's side.

“It's good to see you again, white mage.”

Minwu bowed, but didn't reply anything. Sometimes, words would only give wrong imaginations and were out of place. He pulled Leon along, who still seemed to be sort of shell-shocked. He could imagine the former dark knight was assuming the worst for the three rebels.

They didn't have to worry for the worst for long, though. It turned out the three already were on the best way to recover, and with the sudden joy of seeing Leon again, their mood seemed to jump to highest heavens. Minwu kept back in the meanwhile, until Firion slowly peeled himself out of the bear hug Leon had given him and patted the mage's shoulder.

“Thank you so much, Minwu. I mean... what would we have done without _you_?”

“Please, Firion, I have done nothing more than to remind Leon of what is dear to him. The rest... was all his own doing.”

Though, the white mage couldn't quite suppress a smile. It was warming him from the inside to see the four of them reunited. This was one of those little moments which made it worth fighting for the return of light and to push darkness back into it's place. But...

 _'I still will have to bring the biggest sacrifice I am able to. My life, for the release of_ Ultima _upon the world once more... to purify it from the darkness having shrouded and choked it for far too long already.'_

Nothing of those gloomy thoughts showed on the white mage's expression as Maria, overwhelmed by tears of relief, hugged him close to her chest.

“Thank you, Minwu... thank you so much...”

Guy merely nodded, as usually not being a man of many words. The four of them seemed to have much to catch up on to, so Minwu left them alone for now and went back into the busy streets of Mysidia.

Wondering a little about this tiny ache in his heart, Minwu retreated to the library, the most silent place he knew in this world. Many old books were accumulated here, a treasury of wisdom. Not even the Emperor wanted to destroy it, fearing it would erase the memory of the darkest of spells from this world forever.

He sat down at one of the tables, staring into space. It would only take a few more days for the rebels to completely heal up, which meant they then would head for the tower. This old building, sealing away _Ultima_ from the world. But now, the time had come to release the spell from it's chains and use it to cleanse away the darkness.

His look fell down on the table top, and for some reason, he felt heat pooling in his eyes. Confused about his sadness, Minwu covered his face with his hands. Why was he feeling this lonely all of a sudden?

_'So it has happened, hasn't it? That's why I always have been warned to not get involved into the unsure currents of feelings. It would diminish my will to make the ultimate sacrifice.'_

Taking deep breaths, Minwu calmed down, slowed down the painful pangs of his heart against his ribcage. An other voice rose at the back of his head, honest and without harmful intention.

_'But it is impossible to not get involved into feelings, sooner or later. You are with others all day long, work with them, laugh with them, mourn with them. You are bound to grow attached, no matter in which respect, and how strongly.'_

Nodding to himself, Minwu still stared down on the table top, letting the tears drop down without keeping them back. The other mages didn't notice his pain, and suddenly, he remembered the **why** , the reason why he had left Mysidia years ago.

It always had been this... cold towards him. He had been born in such a world, yet he hadn't been able to accept there shouldn't be any feelings in the way when working with patients, or fighting for the right cause. No, it was just wrong to lock out feelings. Hopefully, the mages at some point would realize it, like him.

_'And still... I will make this sacrifice. Because I love this world. Because I care about the people living in it. I want them to be happy again, to live without fear. In peace, like before this whole nightmare began. It... would make me happy.'_

Nodding to himself, Minwu wiped away the last tears, taking deep breaths again and calming down completely. So even if he was destined to breathe his soul into this one cause... he would do so with a smile, and with the knowledge the world's wounds would be healed.

He went back to rejoin the rebels, nodding at them as they prepared for the long climb on the tower. Leon still was looking a bit confused, but it smoothed out of his face bit by bit. A smile ghosted over Minwu's face. Yes, definitely. The sacrifice of his life was worth much more than a happier world.

_'Forgive me, Leon, but I must do this. Well, maybe... maybe we will see again, in an other life... and in an other form.'_

“Let's go. The tower will be a pain in the ass, but hey, we **will** do it.”

And with Firion's encouraging words, the four rebels and the white mage set out to conquer the tower once more.


	9. The Sacrifice

The sheer shock of the backlash whipped Minwu off his feet. The white mage hadn't awaited a this strong reaction, but it was done. The seal over the chamber of the _Ultima_ tome was broken... even if the backlash had hit him with the force of a falling boulder.

The white mage's body had become numb immediately after the hit, at the same time there was excruciating pain. Minwu coughed, tasting blood in his mouth. Gods, he never had thought it would hurt that much. He never would have thought the seal's power would more or less smash him.

He barely heard how the others came running to him. Only as Leon cautiously lifted the white mage's upper body and pulled down the white cloth over his face, Minwu had the feeling to finally be able to breath freely again.

“I'm sorry... I... should have told you...”

Leon shook his head, silencing the white mage, like the other often had silenced the blue-haired male. With a soft finger on his lips, and a reassuring smile.

“I had this feeling something like this would happen. You're one to give **everything** for peace, aren't you, Minwu.”

With a weak smile, Minwu nodded. The pain grew less, but that merely meant his body was bit by bit giving up it's fight against dying. He could almost feel how Firion, Maria and Guy knelt down close to them, and how Leon tried to keep himself under control.

After all, the blue-haired male wasn't the cold, distant black knight, not to be moved by anything. No, the white mage could feel what light the other radiated already. And that could be just what the white mage needed now.

“Leon... I... I need to ask something of you...”

The blue stone had fallen out of the wrinkles of the white robes, now being drenched with red slowly.

“Take it. It's... a present...”

Minwu took a shuddering breath, wincing in pain. He felt how it drew closer, how his body grew powerless.

“Thank you, Minwu. For everything. I promise, we will use _Ultima_ to stop and defeat Palmecias. After all he has done... he no longer deserves any mercy.”

The white mage grew limp in the blue-haired male's grip, and then, with the last breath Minwu exhaled, the white mage's body began to grow more and more translucent, slowly fading, and then, he was gone. Just... gone from the world, and what he left behind was a blue gem in Leon's palm.

But the four rebels didn't mourn for long now. There had been so many already, so many having died in front of their eyes. Minwu's death was yet another reason to avenge all of those souls having been robbed by the Emperor's ice cold mind.

Even when having died off the battlefield, Minwu represented a cry for help, like none of the others having gone before him. His gift to them was greater than they would ever be able to express. Not the ancient tome _Ultima_ , not the big help he had been while he had traveled with them...

No, Minwu's gift had been something entirely else. He had proven that anyone was able to go to the farthest possible when fighting for light, and peace. Therefore, the rebels wanted to make sure this gift would be used properly. And the blue gem, sparkling in the light of the _Ultima_ tome, seemed to decide it.

“Leon, you take it. Minwu gave you the stone, so... so I guess it would be only fair if you handle it.”

Leon looked a bit lost as he took the ancient tome, smiling helplessly. What should **he** do with such a tome? He wasn't able to use much magic, after all, let alone white magic. But then again...

He looked down on the gem Minwu had given him. There had to be a meaning behind all of this, right? After all, even after such a long time in presence of Palmecias, with the Emperor's overwhelmingly dark presence, he never had lost the core that was _himself_. The true Leon, and not the dark knight having possessed him.

Closing his fingers around the gem, he then nodded to himself and began reciting the incantation on the cover of the tome. _Ultima_ glowed, and most curiously, the gem resonated, while _Ultima_ firmly fused with Leon's conscience.

It was done. He carried the most powerful, and only purely offensive white spell inside of him. It gave Leon a weird feeling, to have such a spell at his disposal. But before he could face the Emperor with it, he would have to get used to it, to develop a feeling for the incantation and for the necessary power.

Once more, he looked down on the blue gem.

 _'Minwu, you gave me this stone out of a certain reason. I don't yet know if it really was a wise decision to make_ Ultima _, in a way, my spell, but I am sure I will find out. I am sure... I will find out if I'm strong enough to follow your way. Minwu, I swear... I will defeat Palmecias.'_


	10. The Jade Passage

“Can you hear me? Hey, wake up, white mage.”

Minwu blinked, slowly sitting up. What had happened? He was supposed to be dead, that much he knew... But as he saw just _who_ had spoken to him, he took everything back. Because it was, without any doubt, Prince Scott.

“Pardon my question, but where are we?”

“I wish I knew. It seems like we aren't entirely dead. But I know I died, so what we are doing here...”

Scott shrugged his shoulders, helping the still slightly dazed mage to stand up. Around them, a strange, glowing opening stretched up to the sky. Minwu crouched down and touched something looking quite like a portal. But in this case... it didn't work.

The white mage brushed along the ornaments, not feeling any magic behind it. A thought came to his mind, rising slowly, but surely.

_'We indeed are dead. But something of us lives on. So, is it true then? The soul lives on after the death of our bodies?'_

An odd thought indeed, but it had some appeal. As he still could feel something, Minwu assumed that he was in some sort of spirit world, a mirror of the real world. Fascinating, though he soon discovered that it was quite dangerous.

Further into a cavern (the only way they could go), there were the tell-tale sounds of countless monsters. Shuddering, the white mage listened as someone seemed to be torn apart by the monsters, and even after that, there wasn't silence. It more likely seemed to get even louder as... but that were...

“Prince Scott, are you alright?”

“You found someone else, I see.”

Minwu blinked a bit as the two men talked to Scott like to an old friend. But somehow, it made sense. Down here, survival seemed to be a bit harsh, and without help, none of them would come too far.

After a quick introduction (Joseph wasn't a stranger to Minwu, while Ricard, the Dragon Knight, was), Minwu dared to go into the cave with them. The creatures around them produced all kinds of unpleasant sounds, making the white mage shudder. And down here, according to the three men, some kind of **village** laid? He couldn't believe so.

While they were fighting their way through all those monsters, Minwu focusing on supporting them with his white magic, the most different thoughts wandered through his head. The location of this, the cave, the whole passage... it had a striking similarity with the Jade Passage, which was said to be the gate to the bowels of the world. But... that was impossible.

_'And what if it is this passage? This cursed place barely anyone ever saw and still less left again? Well, it looks quite like it. The crystal walls, the strangely shimmering water... all like the whole stories about it.'_

After what seemed to be an eternity, they came to an other portal, but this time, it was shimmering brightly and without doubt was active. Wondering about such a thing, Minwu almost was ambushed by a Soul Eater suddenly jumping up behind him.

The white mage already thought that the creature would get him, but then, it shrieked highly as something slashed into it. Faster than he had been able to look, Ricard had taken care of the sneaky monster, making the white mage sigh in relief and almost sink on his knees. But if he had learned one thing in the past hours, then it was that he better never made a pause inside of this cave.

The shrieking of the Soul Eater had attracted more creatures, and once more, they were engaged in a quite fierce combat. Minwu didn't think about it for too long, casting spells and making sure none of his allies would go down at the intensity of those attacks.

Panting, Ricard stabbed the last twitching creature, then, finally, silence settled in. The white mage was quite exhausted himself, having the feeling he just had casted _thousands_ of spells.

“We finally are here... so we just should go through the portal. I bet they are already waiting for us.”

Whatever the Dragon Knight meant, Minwu somehow had the feeling it was something good. The knight grinned lightly and helped him to stand up straight as they stepped through the portal. And behind it... the white mage understood.


	11. Machanon

It didn't need long for Minwu to realize how much he had missed the safety of a small village, without a constant threat all around him, but with friendly people instead. Machanon, the city in the middle of such a tumultuous place, was a safe haven for every soul having managed to come here. The others having been devoured by the monsters, however...

Minwu sighed, having sat down by the small lake close to the village. It offered everything he knew from his life: a pub, an inn, even small shops and several houses, of course. He wouldn't have thought that something like that would be possible, in such a place, on top of that.

But then again, humans could develop incredible powers when sticking together like this. It was soothing to know there was a community, people to talk with, even if their hope wasn't the best one. Machanon was the last haven of safety in the afterlife, and with every day passing, it could be over. The monsters were drawing closer, and if they hadn't been fighting against them, they long would have overrun the village.

Lost in thoughts, the white mage pulled up his robes and stretched his feet into the cool waves. It was a relief after such an exhausting day. Even after having been here for about three weeks now, he just couldn't get used to it. To the thought of never returning to the others again, and that he and the others were just souls, maybe stuck on their journey to the next station in their existence.

“Lost in thoughts again?”

Blinking up, Minwu then smiled at Ricard, who casually sat down next to him. For a moment, there was silence, then the Dragon Knight turned towards the white mage again.

“We will have to act, right? After all, we can't stay here and hope we can fight off the monsters for all eternity.”

Minwu nodded slowly, dipping his fingers into the cool lake. It was true, they wouldn't be able to fight against the overwhelming number of creatures forever. And with each day passing, they seemed to become more. Either the Emperor was having an influence on them, or they really were in the bowels of the world, where all of those malicious beings were hatched from pure darkness.

The white mage leaned back a bit, staring into the light of the late sun. Noon was about to end, and night was just some minutes away. Ricard was unreadable as ever (his helmet hid most of his face, just like the white fabric hid most of Minwu's expression), but there were some things a bit off about him – or so, Minwu thought.

“I just don't know, Minwu. I mean, sure, we found out that there's a copy of _Ultima_ here, and we successfully retrieved it, but what good will it do us when we don't use it?”

“An interesting point you raise, Ricard. I... fear that we just are in no position to leave the village. Or we rather don't really **want**. Because we can't tell if the monsters will come for the innocent while we are gone.”

The Dragon Knight nodded slowly, sighing deeply at those thoughts.

“It's unsettling, sure. But if we stay here, it won't change anything. I think we could find the Emperor's power source, if we explore the castle the third portal leads to.”

Minwu cringed a bit, agreeing only hesitantly. The castle, yes... crawling with even worse creatures than what they assumed to be the Jade Passage, and **surely** not a walk in the park. But it was the only way leading further, and therefore, they seemed to have no other choice.

“Even if we find anything there, what would happen then? Could we destroy this power source somehow?”

“Yes. I think _Ultima_ is here because of that, and just that reason.”

The white mage was surprised Ricard would claim such a thing this firmly, but then again, what other choices did they have? Machanon had an uncertain future, maybe none at all, and while they still were hesitating, anything could happen.

“Even so, how can we be sure we will make it?"

Ricard shrugged his shoulders, but then smiled to himself. Minwu was unsure how to react, as the knight always intimidated him. He had quite something of a dragon, a quite ferocious one, on top of that. But he seemed nice and reasonable, too.

“If the rebels can make it, we can make it, too. I know Firion, Maria, Guy and Leon are believing in us. Minwu, we just **can't** let them down. If we did that, then we would let everyone down.”

“True words, Dragon Knight. True words indeed. We can't waver because of our fears, we must face them. Just like the four rebels always did.”

“You have gotten to known all of them closer, didn't you, Minwu?”

The shade of a blush chased over the white mage's face. Sure, he had befriended with Firion, Maria and Guy, but in Leon's case... it definitely had been a little more than just friendship. An inexplicable connection, though nothing he ever would freely and easily admit before others.

“Yes, you could put it so. Why are you asking, Ricard?”

“I'm meaning to say that we can't let our friends down, can we? They are counting on us, even when having seen us die. I'm quite sure they know we are, well, in some way _living on_.”

Again, silence fell, while the white mage took in those words. Strange, he never had thought about it like that. It was as if Machanon was their all inner calmness, allowing them to take a break from the fight against darkness and let their souls breathe deeply again.

Ricard's presence had something oddly soothing, and before Minwu knew what he was doing there, he was leaning against the knight. An amused smirk curled Ricard's lips, but he didn't say anything against it. After all, comfort was something every single one of them needed. Especially in such days... where physical contact meant bonding, and in some sort giving a piece of one's heart to each other.

“I guess you are right, Ricard. They know that we are there to support them. So we can't just go all slack and let this ill fate wash us away.”

“There he is again, the wise mage.”

“You did that on purpose, didn't you?”

“You could say so, yes. Problem?”

Minwu shook his head, smiling bemusedly. Ricard had this easy-going attitude he liked. Nothing complicated, nothing tainted with mistrust or anything like that. Just an open ear to anyone, and having a more than soothing effect on his surroundings.

“You can take your arm away again, Ricard.”

“I just thought you would like it.”

“Well... in that case, you are **very** welcome to leave it there.”

Wherever those words had come from, both the mage and the knight began laughing at their mutual taunting and challenging. It loosened up the sinister atmosphere, made it easy to breathe freely.

“Thank you again, Ricard. I don't know what I would do without you.”

“Even without me, you would find a way, Minwu. I'm sure of that.”

Smiling at each other, the two men remained by the lake, staring at the shimmering surface glowing in the silver threads of moonlight. Even when knowing it wasn't the real moon, most possibly, they both treasured the moment. Both in their very own way.


	12. Hopes And Wishes

While preparing for their expedition to the mysterious castle behind the third portal, the four men were slightly anxious about the success of their mission. The needed to absolutely succeed, as there was nothing which could rescue them, in case something would go wrong.

Despite being all jumpy and easily aggravated, they tried their best to keep a cool head. They needed to plan everything thoroughly, be sure that they had the strength and the willpower to survive the horror trip through a castle full of dangers.

Minwu was the most silent while they trained hard to gather the needed strength against the monsters. There always was someone to heal, protect, soothe and reassure. The white mage indeed had become the most important person of the village, and some sort of role model for many. Fact was that more and more started to help with fighting – even the ones having died as old or young. And most curiously, their strength only increased with time passing.

All around Machanon, changes could be noticed. Something was about to happen to the village, and it wasn't the usual gloomy foreshadowing the monsters promised. No, it was something like expectation, an anxious waiting for something big, and good, to happen.

Even the white mage could feel how his body seemed to change and urge to become something Minwu couldn't name yet. Smiling to himself, he flipped through the pages of some old books he had found along with the _Ultima_ tome. So much seemed to have been forgotten, and yet... yet he had the feeling it would all come back one day.

While they prepare for their last task, everyone seemed to pass the point of aggravation and then become all calm and focused. They knew what they were doing, even when not knowing how long the way to their goal still would be.

Machanon was silent in those strange days, but it wasn't a threatening silence. It was a calm, serene aura, like a deep meditation to rid themselves of any worries and doubts. They would do their best, to make the world worth living in for the ones still alive.

Feeling Ricard's eyes on him, Minwu slowly lifted his head, wondering for a short time what the knight wanted here. He merely sat down, leaning against the white mage. Smiling to himself, Minwu laid one hand on the knight's, wondering what Ricard could worry about.

Glancing up at the knight, Minwu stayed silent, trying to assess the Dragon Knight. How many times had he seen the other fighting against monsters, against any creature coming too close to them? It had to be uncounted times already... more than that even.

Without exchanging a word, the two of them got up and went to Machanon's small sanctuary. A few had come there to pray silently, though the white mage wasn't sure to whom or what for they were praying for help. Maybe every single one of them had their own deity, small ghosts to lead the living. Yes... yes, that was a nice thought.

Smiling to himself, the white mage knelt down before the statue at the back of the small room, closing his eyes and focusing on his surroundings for a short time, before sinking deeper into himself. Ricard had stayed at the back; it seemed like the knight hadn't got anyone to pray to or anything he was worried about.

But Minwu knew better. Ricard most possibly was worried about Firion, just as he was worried about Leon. It was more than unnerving to not know what was going on in the world of the living, and it made all of them anxious.

_'Whatever is happening to the rebels at this moment, I hope they are fine. I hope they keep up their hope for a peaceful world, and for salvation to come.'_

The white mage then lifted again, looking up at the statue. Anxiety had come back to him, and he was hoping, from the depths of his heart and soul, that Leon was alright. He wouldn't be able to bear the knowledge the blue-haired male might was in danger, or just...

“Come now, Minwu, it's time we are leaving.”

Ricard had gently shaken the white mage out of his trance, and slowly, Minwu lifted, still a dreamy expression on his face. No, he shouldn't start on worrying this much. He was sure Leon was doing fine, and with _Ultima_ , the rebels would be able to defeat the Emperor.

They kept silent again as they joined Scott and Joseph at the portal to the chaotic palace lying behind it. Again, the four males were a bit tensed up, as expectations and fears were coming back at them. With a deep sigh, the white mage looked up at what seemed to be a clear blue sky, but most possibly only was something close to what they knew to be the sky.

“We have to do it. Now, or we might lose more than just our lives. **Much** more than we could afford.”

The others merely nodded, readjusting their equipment and lowly talking to each other. Minwu didn't really listen to them, while he muttered lowly to recall what he had read in those old books. According to those, there was a way for the souls of the deceased to take influence on the physical world. Even if it meant it would change the soul forever.

_'If we ever want to become a part of the physical world again, in any respect, then we have to give up our shape and become something more powerful than an average soul. We will have to become something the living can **summon** to their sides, to aid in battle and with healing, in any way you can think about.'_

But that would require something they had left in the physical world, and luckily, Minwu knew what he had left there. The blue gem Leon was carrying with him was the physical evidence the white mage had left behind. It would become the catalyst for something the white mage yet had to become...

_'Well, we are now going on our last journey, so to speak. We already found out how the spirit world changes us, if we allow it. So the step to become a Spirit, an Esper... or however it will be called then. I don't care any longer. I want to help the living, without clinging to my own life.'_

The others already had passed the portal, but Minwu still was standing in Machanon. None of the other inhabitants noticed them leaving, therefore... therefore, it seemed to be only fair if he didn't wait too long and would go, too.

_'Even if I can't return to my life... I will still be present, in some way. I will find a way to help humans, even when my body has died.'_


	13. Salvation

And in the end, it had all gone in a blur. Minwu felt strangely light, more than ever before. The spirit world and the world of the living... Those two different worlds were touching for a moment, and like on the other side of a mirror, he could see Leon. And the blue-haired male saw him, too.

Odd how far away and at the same time close they seemed to be, for this one, blissful moment. The Emperor slain, both his physical and spiritual form... _Ultima_ , resonating still throughout both realms... The cheering rebels, both deceased and alive... It all didn't matter in the moment Minwu could see Leon again.

Though, he was sad about this encounter, because it meant a goodbye. And that most possibly would be the last goodbye in their lives. Ricard smiled at Firion one last time, already changing, leathery wings slowly spreading from his back. Scott nodded at Maria, who watched in astonishment how feathered wings broke free from him. Joseph laughed a rumbling laughter as his body seemed to become steel. And Minwu felt how slowly, he began to flow, not in all directions, but inside of himself.

_'So this is our goodbye to the world. We are becoming spirits, to aid our friends still, even when having gone from this world in this form. Leon, I'm sorry... I'm sorry that you have to watch this, and can't do anything against it. You will blame yourself, but trust me... trust me, you are not to blame for **anything**. And... death, it's really just the next big journey.'_

Even when knowing that all of their struggles finally had come to an end, their fight having been victorious and peace about to break like brightest daylight upon the world once more, it was hard to let the four dead allies go. The four elements were coaxing them to come with them, become one with them, to achieve the next form.

“Leon... look at me. Please.”

The blue-haired male looked right into the white mage's eyes, sadness welling up in both pairs. Minwu pulled down the cloth, sighing and smiling then.

“I somehow knew this would happen. Therefore I left the small gem with you. Every single one of us has left something with one of you. Scott gave Maria his ring, Firion holds the crest of the wyverns, and Guy, he is still keeping this small crystal from the cavern Joseph led you through. These signs... use them wisely. They will be your help to call us, whenever you are in need of help.”

The knight nodded slowly, one hand against the thin veil parting the two realms they belonged to. Minwu responded to the touch, smiling sadly.

“I'm sorry, Minwu. I... never wanted this to happen. Never wanted it to happen that you will be locked in that fortress for such a long time.”

“But Leon, you couldn't have done anything against it. Now stop blaming yourself. I **know** you are able to be yourself, all yourself, without anyone reminding you of what you _are_.”

The veil didn't waver one bit, waiting patiently for the last goodbye to take place.

“Minwu, I wished... I wished I could have confessed everything to you.”

“Don't mourn over me, Leon. You know you can call me back whenever you need me. Stay strong and faithful.”

“I'll try, Minwu... and you will be of help, or else I'll get angry.”

Laughing, the white mage nodded, then leaned forward... and for a short time, the veil vanished, allowing this one last goodbye. A kiss most tender, so sweet, lasting for an eternity... yet being over too soon. And with that, the four spirits vanished once more behind the veil, to become one with the elements.

_**From this day on, the four elementals were known throughout the world. Their real names soon were forgotten, and their shape changed many times since then. But they never changed their will, their core: They want to help the ones calling them, aiding them in times of danger and difficulties... and one day, maybe, two particular souls will meet in the spiritual world, where they will be united for eternity. But until then, the fight between darkness and light continues, until one day, maybe, everyone accepts both of them as equal antagonists.** _


End file.
